The physics of wind-blown sand and dust
Open accessAbstract
The transport of sand and dust by wind is a potent erosional force, creates sand dunes and ripples, and loads the atmosphere with suspended dust aerosols. This paper presents an extensive review of the physics of wind-blown sand and dust on Earth and Mars. Specifically, we review the physics of aeolian saltation, the formation and development of sand dunes and ripples, the physics of dust aerosol emission, the weather phenomena that trigger dust storms, and the lifting of dust by dust devils and other small-scale vortices. We also discuss the physics of wind-blown sand and dune formation on Venus and Titan.
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References 724 · Cited by 1,608
- Authors
- Kok, J. F., Parteli, E. J. R., Michaels, T. I., & Karam, D. B.
- Affiliations
- Cornell University (US)
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE)
- Southwest Research Institute (US)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Venue
- Reports on Progress in Physics
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing
- Published
- 2012-09-14
- Volume
- 75
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 106901
- ISSN
- 0034-4885 (ISSN-L)
- 1361-6633
- OpenAlex
- W1985657867
- Cited by
- 1,608
- References
- 724
- Citations by year
- 2026: 95 · 2025: 110 · 2024: 111 · 2023: 100 · 2022: 140 · 2021: 142 · 2020: 115 · 2019: 94 · 2018: 94 · 2017: 83 · 2016: 56 · 2015: 99 · 2014: 155 · 2013: 126 · 2012: 80
- FWCI
- 12.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Reports on Progress in Physics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Earth-Surface Processes › Aeolian processes and effects
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Atmospheric aerosols and clouds
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Dust and Plasma Wave Phenomena
- Keywords
- wind-blown sand, aeolian dust, aeolian saltation, sand dunes, sand ripples, dust aerosols, dust storms, dust devils, small-scale vortices, Venus, Titan, Mars, wind erosion
- MeSH terms
- Computer Simulation, Dust, Models, Chemical, Silicon Dioxide, Wind
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